Appeasement and the Itamar Slaughter

Arab terrorist organizations, including the military arms of Israel's supposed "peace" partner, the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, all read an open door policy in the actions of the Israeli government. In addition to releasing terrorists sentenced in Israeli courts for severe crimes and removing check points from critical areas throughout Israel, PM Netanyahu has put the security of Israeli citizens in Judea and Samaria under the control of the Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak.

The fact that Judea and Samaria have never been annexed to become legal parts of Israel, defies understanding. Holding this area as a military zone is admission to the Arabs that Israel really has no interest in keeping this biblical heartland as part of its nation. The implicit understanding conveyed by the Israeli government, as it works to delegitimize the Jews of Judea and Samaria, is that they don't belong there and deserve to be removed. Even the Israeli left-wing media picks up this chant. It is therefore understandable that Arabs would attempt to take possession of what they perceive to be theirs.

Just last week, we saw the Israeli police enter Chavat Gilad, a farm built on privately owned Jewish land in Samaria, and destroy Jewish homes citing them as "illegal." Although no one was killed, plastic, rubber, and other types of bullets were shot, some at close range, at the residents of Chavat Gilad. Jewish police were shooting at Jewish citizens. Jewish homes were destroyed. We know the people at Chavat Gilad, having visited there many times, most recently this past November, and we saw the pride they took in the homes they had constructed with their own labor. But the Defense Minister, with the backing of PM Netanyahu, deems them illegal and sends in the destruction teams to demolish homes and threaten lives.

Is it any wonder, then, that Arab terrorists should jump a security fence in Itamar, enter a Jewish home, and brutally murder a mother, father, and three children? They are taking their cue from the Israeli government that stops at actually murdering its people, but doesn't hesitate to shoot at them. The Arab mentality, subjected to early indoctrination in the hatred of the "Zionist occupiers" and the culture of jihad and suicide bombings, carries it to the next step, and butchers Jews in their beds. We are shocked and horrified, but should we be surprised? This has been the pattern of the reign of Arab terror for years, which accompanies Israel's policies of appeasement, concession and destruction.

As a sop to those who are crying out for justice, PM Netanyahu approved the construction of 400 units for Jews. That is a slap in the face to the murdered victims and to the devoted residents of Judea and Samaria who desperately need housing for their expanding families. Thousands of units of Jewish housing should be built as a normal process of life in Israel, but not as revenge for Jewish blood. At the same time, illegal Arab building goes on unchecked and the building of a new Arab city, Rawabi, continues with Israel's approval.

And what do we hear from U.S. President Obama? He believes that despite the slaughter in Itamar, and despite the total upheaval of the Arab world, Obama insists that Israeli "settlements are the obstacle to peace" that have prevented his intended "two-state solution." He, and members of the international community will continue to strong-arm PM Netanyahu into weakening Israel. They refuse to understand that Arab terrorism and refusal to accept Israel's right to exist, are the true obstacles to peace.

Arab terrorist organizations, including the military arms of Israel's supposed "peace" partner, the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, all read an open door policy in the actions of the Israeli government. In addition to releasing terrorists sentenced in Israeli courts for severe crimes and removing check points from critical areas throughout Israel, PM Netanyahu has put the security of Israeli citizens in Judea and Samaria under the control of the Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak.

The fact that Judea and Samaria have never been annexed to become legal parts of Israel, defies understanding. Holding this area as a military zone is admission to the Arabs that Israel really has no interest in keeping this biblical heartland as part of its nation. The implicit understanding conveyed by the Israeli government, as it works to delegitimize the Jews of Judea and Samaria, is that they don't belong there and deserve to be removed. Even the Israeli left-wing media picks up this chant. It is therefore understandable that Arabs would attempt to take possession of what they perceive to be theirs.

Just last week, we saw the Israeli police enter Chavat Gilad, a farm built on privately owned Jewish land in Samaria, and destroy Jewish homes citing them as "illegal." Although no one was killed, plastic, rubber, and other types of bullets were shot, some at close range, at the residents of Chavat Gilad. Jewish police were shooting at Jewish citizens. Jewish homes were destroyed. We know the people at Chavat Gilad, having visited there many times, most recently this past November, and we saw the pride they took in the homes they had constructed with their own labor. But the Defense Minister, with the backing of PM Netanyahu, deems them illegal and sends in the destruction teams to demolish homes and threaten lives.

Is it any wonder, then, that Arab terrorists should jump a security fence in Itamar, enter a Jewish home, and brutally murder a mother, father, and three children? They are taking their cue from the Israeli government that stops at actually murdering its people, but doesn't hesitate to shoot at them. The Arab mentality, subjected to early indoctrination in the hatred of the "Zionist occupiers" and the culture of jihad and suicide bombings, carries it to the next step, and butchers Jews in their beds. We are shocked and horrified, but should we be surprised? This has been the pattern of the reign of Arab terror for years, which accompanies Israel's policies of appeasement, concession and destruction.

As a sop to those who are crying out for justice, PM Netanyahu approved the construction of 400 units for Jews. That is a slap in the face to the murdered victims and to the devoted residents of Judea and Samaria who desperately need housing for their expanding families. Thousands of units of Jewish housing should be built as a normal process of life in Israel, but not as revenge for Jewish blood. At the same time, illegal Arab building goes on unchecked and the building of a new Arab city, Rawabi, continues with Israel's approval.

And what do we hear from U.S. President Obama? He believes that despite the slaughter in Itamar, and despite the total upheaval of the Arab world, Obama insists that Israeli "settlements are the obstacle to peace" that have prevented his intended "two-state solution." He, and members of the international community will continue to strong-arm PM Netanyahu into weakening Israel. They refuse to understand that Arab terrorism and refusal to accept Israel's right to exist, are the true obstacles to peace.